Bianca Chambul

Principal

Bassoon

Born in Toronto, Bianca Chambul was appointed Principal Bassoon of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra in June 2019. In addition to her orchestral duties, she has enjoyed performing chamber music with ESO musicians at the Art Gallery of Alberta. During the pandemic, Bianca developed a love for editing films on iMovie to contribute to the ESO’s YouTube channel.

As a freelance bassoonist and contrabassoonist, Bianca has performed with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Hamilton Philharmonic, Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, and Toronto’s Tapestry Opera. She has appeared as a concerto competition winner with the Rice University Chamber Orchestra (2019), the University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra (2013), and the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra (2011).

As a soloist, Bianca performed for John Weinzweig’s Centenary Celebration (2013) and with the University of Toronto Contemporary Ensemble (2015).

Bianca has participated in several summer music festivals, including the National Youth Orchestra of Canada (2012, 2013) and the National Academy Orchestra (2015, 2016). While attending the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara in 2019, she was awarded a residency fellowship with the London Symphony Orchestra, and will be performing with them in England in June 2022.

In April 2019, Bianca completed one year of her Master’s degree at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music in Houston, Texas under the tutelage of Professor Benjamin Kamins. She obtained her performance undergraduate degree in 2016 at the University of Toronto, studying with Eric Hall, Principal Bassoon of the Grant Park Orchestra and Canadian Opera Company. Bianca received the William and Phyllis Waters Graduating Award, and was on the University of Toronto music faculty as a sessional bassoon instructor for the 2017 winter term.

One of her favourite bassoonists is Sergio Azzolini, especially his Vivaldi CDs with the ensemble L’Aura Soave Cremona on period instruments. His work has served as inspiration for Bianca to learn to play historical bassoons.